A Man of Your Talents: The Missing Memory
by Jewell Trim
Summary: Chris is about to go in for his last day of leading Team 7. However, things take a turn for the worse and the thing he lived with as a curse for so long is now something he wants to recover and only Team 7 can help him.


Chris grunted as he pushed himself to do one last pull up on the public park exercise area. Letting go, he had to replace the earbud that fell out of his left ear. ACDC's Back in Black jammed in his ears as he set off once more to do another lap. The sweatshirt he wore was damp with sweat around his collar and underneath his arms. His muscular thighs were barely visible under the basketball shorts he had on.

Taking the trail that led through the forest, Larabee was grateful for the lack of other runners that morning. He had the whole path to himself.

Rock music screamed in his ears as he rounded a corner and go down a slight slope. Picking up the pace when he reached a hill, he pushed himself harder.

Once he finished his morning ritual and was heading back to his vehicle, Chris thought he sensed someone watching him. Pulling out his earbuds, Larabee looked around the surrounded area for anything out of place.

He touched his ride, contemplating what he had felt. The sound of Kansas playing on his device could be heard in the silence of that morning.

As much as he wanted to ignore the feeling, he wasn't foolish enough to.

Removing his hand, Chris replaced his earbuds back in and made the journey home by foot. He could get in another three miles.

The room he was renting was all packed up from what little he had brought with him. Today would be his last day working as team leader for the ATF. Larabee wasn't sure why he felt it, but he did feel a sense of regret. It was like leaving a job half complete. Though, being free from the chaos that came along with them would be a welcome relief. Soon, he'd be on a ship among order and rules. More specifically, people who followed the rules.

Taking off his smelly and sweaty clothes, Chris stepped into the bathroom and started the shower. While the water ran, Larabee massaged his temples, trying to relieve the building pressure behind his eyes somehow.

Sighing and checking his phone for the time to make sure he still had an hour before he needed to report to Travis, Chris stepped into the shower and began to wash up.

The hot water beating down eased the tension in his back as he leaned into the water with his head down. Throwing his head back, Chris used both hands to push his hair back out of his eyes. He would be cutting it tomorrow before he boarded his ship. With eyes closed, Larabee let the water run over his face and down his chest. His abdominals were pronounced as he took deep breaths.

To his annoyance, the migraine hit him again, this time harder. It became so painful that he actually gasped and pressed the palm of his hand hard on the spot that was throbbing. His vision became blurry and saw images of his wife and son, the reports of their deaths, and their corpses. Chris shouted in pain but then he was suddenly thrown against the wall of his shower, heat licking his body. Larabee was unprepared for the force of the blow and couldn't react in time to protect his head as it hit the wall and then he crumpled into the tub.

Unconscious, Chris was lying in his tub, the water pipe from the shower now spraying everywhere as flames burned the surrounding area.

The office area of Team Seven was quiet as all six men sat at their desk wondering what the director was doing. He had a meeting with Larabee that morning and with the new leader of their team.

No one was particularly pleased with the turn of events, but they knew that when Chris's mandatory leave from the Navy ended, he'd be going back.

Vin sat slouched in his chair, one had to prop up his chin while he stared absently at the team leader's office. He had noticed during the whole of Larabee's command, he had not brought a single personal item except his laptop, which he'd take with him at the end of each day. Trust was not the easiest thing for Tanner, but he had begun to appreciate his new boss and was certain that with time, they'd be close.

He gave a resigned sigh.

JD had his arms crossed on his desk and his head lying on top. Underneath his desk, his leg bobbed with agitation. He didn't want Chris to leave. The man understood him. All of them. He gave JD a fair chance and didn't dismiss as just the tech help. Larabee told him that he wasn't necessary anymore because they all understood that as long as they had each other's backs, no matter who the new team leader was, they'd be alright.

JD didn't want to be alright, he didn't want just any team leader. He wanted Chris!

Buck watched his young friend fight back the pained expression on his face as he tried to keep his emotions from exploding in the form of anger or tears. He knew exactly what the kid was feeling. Chris might not smile, he might not talk much, but he knew what he was doing and was good at it. The new team leader better be a carbon copy of Chris or else he'd go up to Travis's office himself and demand he do something to get the man back.

Nathan had checked the supplies in his emergency medkit for the eleventh time since coming in that morning. The calm he got from this familiar ritual, however, was not to be found today. After having three terrible leaders since their team assembled, Jackson had despaired of having a good one. He wanted to spit curses he was so pissed that the only good one they ever got was just a temp. The team's luck must sure be shitty. Even the good ones didn't care to stick around.

Ezra pretended to appear busy, typing up reports that needed to be done. He was relieved he was fortunate to have no one sitting behind him, or else they would've noticed that he had typed up the same sentence twice, misspelled words multiple times, and then began to bullshit the thing; making stuff up. It was after he grew frustrated, that he started over and began typing up words he didn't trust himself to say out loud at present. Every curse word he could think was used as he unleashed his anger. He would never be caught dead he'd miss the man from the Navy. His mother had warned him about showing his feelings too openly. It would only lead to disappointment and heartbreak. Well, wasn't he now facing disappointment? And he hadn't said shit to the man other than condescending words while irritating the man by not listening to him. Maybe if he had shown his preference to the man and how he was far superior to any other that had led them, then maybe he would've reconsidered. Heartbreak was going too far, but he couldn't deny a sense of melancholy. His mother would be ashamed of him for letting anyone actually matter.

Irritated with himself, Ezra jabbed at his keys even harder.

Josiah watched his teammates, the looks on all of their faces showing how much they wished none of this was happening. He had spoken with Travis, asking if he could get Reeves to ask Larabee's superiors if they might let them keep Chris permanently. However, he didn't want to force the man to stay and have him hate the team as a result. It was a tough decision to make; the battle between the team's selfish desire and letting Chris return to his men who were waiting for him. They weren't the only ones who desired Larabee's leadership after all.

The only thing Sanchez could do was help Travis in the search for a new team leader. Though the new guy would be nothing like Chris, who could, he was sure with time, the others would move on.

A few minutes more had passed before Travis entered the room with the supposed new team leader. Larabee wasn't with them.

"Bastard couldn't even say bye," Buck grumbled as he looked the new man over.

Josiah grew uneasy at the frown etched on Travis's brow. The older man was looking over the room as if searching for a particular face.

"Where's Larabee?" asked Travis impatiently, "He was supposed to come into my office this morning and he's an hour late."

The team looked at each other in confusion as they had not seen the man enter. Vin, who was the earliest to come in besides Larabee, hadn't seen the blond. The room to the office was still locked and the lights were off from what he could tell from underneath the door.

"He's not here," Nathan finally spoke up.

Travis put his hands on his hips, trying to think of where the man could be.

"Maybe I should call him," suggested Josiah, reaching for his phone.

"If Mr. Larabee is not here and was not with the director, it would not be all that surprising if the man has already departed," Ezra said bitterly, "His phone was no more than a prepaid. If he is trying to communicate that he will not be showing and wishes to left alone then he may have disposed of the device."

Josiah shook his head when he didn't get an answer. Pressing the end call button, Sanchez tried to think what could've happened.

"Chris is too honorable a man and soldier to not report in. A by the book kind of man like him when it comes to rules and punctuality would never just skip town."

Nathan nodded, "Josiah's right. Maybe we should go check out his apartment just in case."

JD eagerly shot up from his seat, needing to do something. The others soon were up and grabbing their coats and jackets.

"As commendable as your concern is for your previous leader, I think as the head of this task force, that we put our efforts into our cases," sniffed the new leader, who Travis and the rest of the team had completely forgotten about.

"How about you go fuck yourself," JD snapped. Buck grabbed the younger man's upper arm to keep him from getting into the other man's face.

"Agent Dunne, that behavior will not be tolerated when speaking to your superiors," Travis leveled JD with a disapproving frown.

"He's right, kid," Buck said, gaining an incredulous look from his friend, "So you beset curb that tongue of yours before we go and find our leader."

The six men all walked pass Travis and the unanimous rejected leader. Josiah gave his friend a smile and shrug as he walked the.

Ezra was the last to leave, pausing to address Travis and the other man.

"We will not be needing your services as none of us will follow or listen to a leader we do not respect. Seek solace in the knowledge that we do not have the time to make you regret your words to our respected leader. Furthermore, seeing how Mr. Larabee was not here to officially resign and neither were you introduced as our new leader, your words of rejecting our course of action would not be punishable as us not adhering to you. As Agent Dunne has so eloquently put it, you can go fuck yourself."

Standish nodded towards the director before going to follow his teammates who were waiting for him in the open elevator.

Once the door had closed Agent Garret looked at Travis in ill humor, "What kind of team is this that you were about to saddle me with? They are all of them, incapable of following orders and are unrefined."

Travis couldn't help but smile, looking at the door the men had all exit out of, "On the contrary, they are very capable of being led. And it would seem that they know who that person is to do it."

The team arrived about a block from Larabee's apartment, the area blocked by police cars, fire trucks, and the paramedics.

Parking and going the rest of the way on foot, they had to flash their badges to pass the police tape to get closer.

"Great God Almighty," Josiah breathed as he stared at the destruction of the apartment building. Black shapes appeared along the side of the building, showing where the smoke and flames had escaped. Windows were missing and a part of the corner of the building was gone, replaced by a gaping hole.

Nathan hurried over to the paramedics to check to see who had all been brought out while Buck and JD talked to the police.

Vin made determined steps to the building, Ezra and Josiah calling him back. Seeing how their calls fell on deaf ears they went after him.

Most of the fire had been put out and the firemen and paramedics were now going through and checking for casualties.

The three had to show their badges once more as they made their way carefully to Chris's floor.

Ezra pinched his face and covered his nose with his arm as he could smell burnt flesh among the smoke. Josiah was praying softly as they continued on.

The blast was concentrated near his apartment, and the hole was at the upper part of his place.

"Vin, I'm sure the paramedics would've gotten him out by now if he was... if he was here," Josiah said, looking around he destroyed the room.

A ringing phone had the others look at Josiah as he answered it.

"Did you find him?" he asked into the receiver. There was a pause, the other person on the phone speaking. Vin and Ezra waited with a bated breath for him to say something. "Okay, we're up here now. We'll tell you what we find."

"Is Chris down there? Is he alright? Is he dead?" asked Vin hurriedly.

"That was Nathan. No sign of Chris. His ride wasn't here either. He may have even missed the bombing and was out."

Ezra frowned and looked at his watch, "What time did they say the bomb went off?"

"Buck borrowed Nathan's phone and told me it went off around 6:15."

"Chris goes out for a run in the morning, but he's finished by 6," Vin frowned, crossing his arms.

"He'd need to shower, so that'd place him here around that time," Ezra murmured, not liking any of this one bit.

"We'll keep looking around the apartment, but again his ride isn't here. He could've gone somewhere before coming back," Josiah reasoned.

Vin shook his head, "No, Chris doesn't do that. Don't know why I feel that way, but I do."

"I agree," Ezra nodded, "If the Navy is what I imagine, Larabee would have his morning ritual, shower and then leave for work. Him detouring from this routine wouldn't make sense unless he knew this was going to happen."

Vin grew anxious and began searching the small apartment with renewed vigor. The closet was empty and so was the bedroom and kitchen. He tried the bathroom next and found the curtain rod had fallen across the tub concealing something.

"Guys! In here!" Vin called.

Soon Ezra and Josiah were in the bathroom with him. Vin was kneeling beside the tub, trying to inspect the head wound of the unconscious naked man.

Ezra took off his overcoat and offered it to Vin to cover the man while Josiah called Nathan to send up paramedics.

Tanner felt for a pulse on the man and gave a relieved sigh, looking up towards Ezra. His teammate could only nod his head, the emotions of concern and relief nearly taking over him.

Chris was loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital, though he looked to only have suffered a blow to the head, they wanted to make sure he was alright. He had not regained consciousness during the move to the ambulance nor during the drive to the hospital.

JD was well known to the team to be the pacer among the group. If he could never sit still, especially during stressful events. However, it was Buck who was joining the younger man as they all waited for the opportunity to see the blond.

Vin had fought with the nurses, claiming that Chris had the right to have someone with him that he knew at all times. He had not left his side since he found him. Now he gripped the arms of his chair, ready to bolt out of it as soon as the doctor appeared.

Josiah had contacted Travis who was now with them. They talked in hush voices with Nathan who was given a few details on the man's condition.

Ezra watched Vin, knowing his feelings, experiencing them himself. However, he was not going to fight with Tanner on who got to ride in the ambulance with the man. The only thing he could do was hope that the head injury wasn't severe or that it left Chris in a comatose state.

About forty-five minutes more passed before the doctor arrived to offer his prognosis. He confirmed that it looked like Larabee suffered only a head injury that unfortunately resulted in some swelling that they had to drain. So far he hadn't woken up, but his vitals so far were the same. Chris would no doubt have a concussion, but until he woke up, they wouldn't know anything further.

Request for visitation began almost immediately and soon one by one, each agent was allowed to sit with Chris for ten minutes.

JD again was bobbing his leg up in down, silently watching the blond's face in hopes he'd wake up. He had gone third after Nathan, and though his comrades all reported that nothing had changed when they were sitting with, Dunne was hoping that he could make the man open his eyes.

"So, Mr. Travis tried to saddle us with this joke of a leader. He objected to us looking for you when Travis said you hadn't reported in. You wouldn't believe it, but I told him he could go fuck himself," JD gave a soft chuckle, still watching the man's face, "I don't think I've ever been that bold enough to say something like that. To a superior no less. I'm probably going to get in trouble for saying what I did, but I don't really care. It felt right at the time.

You made me feel like I wasn't just some kid who was only good at one thing and needed to stay back while you all took down the bad guys. I know I only did a couple of field missions with you, but I want to say thank you, for giving me a chance."

Dunne chewed on his lower lip and looked away as he blinked back tears before turning his attention back on the unconscious man.

"Please don't leave us. I know we're a lot of work, but I'm sure you can see, your job would be incomplete if you left now."

A movement under the still closed eyelids drew JD closer as he watched in anticipation.

Suddenly, he was struck with an idea, "The mission ain't over yet, soldier. There's work that still needs to be done. You need to report in."

JD tried to sound authoritative as he spoke. He watched the eyes again move under the eyelids and then the brows knit slightly together.

Slowly, green eyes revealed themselves and JD grinned in his excitement.

Chris looked around and he frowned in confusion, "Where am I?" he asked in a croak. His mouth was dry as if he hadn't drunk anything in a while.

JD in his eagerness ran to the door and called to the others.

Soon the room was filled and the area around the bed was crowded with men all staring and asking questions.

Chris sat up in the bed and held his head in his hands.

The questions then ceased and a few spoken words of concern were heard.

"Larabee, you alright?" asked Travis.

"Where am I?" Chris asked again, lowering his hands and finally taking notice of the IV drip attached to his left wrist.

"You're in St. Mary's hospital," Nathan finally said.

"St. Mary's? Why?"

"You hit your head during the explosion," Buck shifted in his place by the foot of the bed.

"What explosion?" Chris's frown deepened.

"Chris, what do you remember of today?" probed Josiah gently.

Chris's hand automatically came up to rub his temple as he thought back to that morning.

"Of course I remember. I remember everything. Three in the morning, I was watching the news like I usually am," the movement stopped and he just glared at the sheet across his lap, "There was... there was a report of a car accident. A drunk driver hit a semi. Both drivers died..." Chris blinked and this time, used both hands to massage his temples as if he was a building pressure there. "There was also some news on the White House... something... something was happening."

"It's okay Chris, you don't have to tell us everything about the news," Nathan tried to calm the man down who was quickly becoming stressed.

"No, I remember! I remember because I can never forget. I can't forget anything!"

"What else Chris," Vin tried, "What else do you remember doing this morning?"

Larabee paused in grinding his temples with his palms to think of the question. He lowered his hands and thought about it.

"I was drinking."

"Okay, good. Do you remember what you were drinking?" asked Vin.

"It was whiskey-no coffee. I think it was coffee," Chris shook his head and his hands went back up, "Why the fuck can't I remember what I fucking drank! It's a stupidly easy question. I remember everything, I can damn well remember if it was coffee or whiskey!"

The heart rate monitor began to increase with his distress and the nurses and doctor arrived to calm him down.

The men watched as they were pushed out the room, Larabee beginning to pound at his head with his fist.

The men all sat in silence, not sure what to say about what they had just witnessed.

Standish finally broke it for them, "I'd say it's a case of amnesia. Can't remember the events of the morning that well. It's possible."

"Did you see the way he was beating himself up over the fact that he couldn't remember? Why does boring morning news and coffee matter so much if he recalled it or not?" JD looked up to the others for an explanation. He was out of his depth on this, and by the looks of the others, so were they.

"I think I have to make a few phone calls and let Larabee's superiors know what's happening," Travis sighed as he got up from his seat to make the private call.

It was about another hour before any of the team was again allowed to sit with Chris. Vin was sitting again with Larabee while Nathan and Josiah were out talking to the doctor to see if anything could be determined from his episode.

The blond wasn't under as long, and soon he opened his eyes.

Vin sat closer to the edge of his seat as he waited for Chris to notice him.

Chris frowned and looked around the room in confusion.

"Where am I?"

It was the same question he asked when he first woke up.

Feeling like this was about to start sounding like a deja vu, Vin decides to deviate from their previous dialogue to avoid stressing the man out.

"You're at St. Mary's because you hit your head."

Chris looked alarmed and the heart rate monitor began to increase again.

"It's okay though, you're alright. You probably will have to wait to see the other guy," Vin tried to joke.

Settling down again, but not fully relaxed, Chris looked around the room once more.

"Hey Chris, do you by any chance remember what Buck wore yesterday at work?"

The green eyes returned to look at him in confusion and one eyebrow was lifted slightly.

"Yeah. How can I forget that hot pink polo shirt he had on with ripped blue jeans and worn black converses. All of which is prohibited by the dress code of the department. It was a dare by Dunne after Wilmington lost a bet. I addressed him on the matter and he told me while looking at Susan, the team's secretary, that he'd gladly take them off and go around naked for the day. That of course was followed by me telling him I'd then have to charge him with several offenses for indecency and potential office sexual harassment," Chris recounted without any pause of uncertainty that he had shown before. He then went back to looking around the room.

Vin remembered the scene from yesterday and knew Chris had gotten every point.

"What about this morning? What do you remember doing at three today?"

Chris again turned to Vin. He frowned slightly before thinking about it.

"Well... I was watching my TV cause I do that every morning..."

"Do you recall anything you saw on there?" Vin tested.

"I was watching the news... There was a report..." Chris lifts his hand to rub his temples and Vin watches this action worriedly, "An accident... with cars."

Vin waited, but the man didn't elaborate like he did on his prior attempt to answer the question. Tanner decided to not press him on this.

"Do you remember anything else being on?"

"The White House..." Both hands were up massaging his head.

Choosing to forgo the drink question that he shook the man up last time it was asked, Vin moved past that.

"Okay, so what did you do around five this morning?"

"I went on my run. I do that every morning at that time."

Vin began to see the pattern of holes. As long as Chris had his constant schedule of what he did, he was aware of it. Any details were fuzzy. The part where he remembered the day before clearly could be that only today's memories were affected.

Chris didn't remember his pull-ups that he did today, or which path he took for his run.

"Do you remember what you did after that?"

"I drove home and took my shower before heading in," Chris said with certainty, though only the part about the shower was correct.

"Chris, you didn't drive after your run, and you didn't come in today," Vin said sadly.

"No, I did cause I always-"

"Chris, your car wasn't found outside your apartment this morning, but you were taking a shower."

"That makes no sense. I remember- I remember everything..."

Chris rubbed his temples with more pressure.

"Perhaps you should lay down, your head must be hurting," Vin suggested.

Chris surprisingly didn't argue and laid back to sleep.

Vin waited a little longer before slipping out of the room to find the others.

"Any change?" asked Buck quickly as soon as he saw Vin.

"He woke up for a while. He repeated the same question when he woke up and asked where he was. I don't think he remembered having our previous conversation at all," Vin sighed.

JD grew worried and looked at the others to see them also concerned.

"I tried to ask him the same questions, but they were less detailed on the news report he said he saw. I confess I didn't want to see him get upset over the fact that he couldn't remember what he drank. The funny thing is, he can remember easily everything that happened yesterday in detail. If anything wasn't a set routine for him today, it is all fuzzy to him. Chris believes he went on his run, drove back to his apartment, took a shower and went in to see Travis."

"All of which didn't happen," Ezra said dejectedly, "Well, nothing but the shower anyway."

"So, for now, let's avoid the head wound and questions of his day. I'm sure with time he'll bounce back," Buck crossed his arms over his chest and nodded confidently.

The others agreed and they went to inform the rest of their team and Travis on Vin's latest interview.

Larabee looked at each of the men standing around his hospital bed. The answer to his question of where he was and how he got there sounded unbelievable, but they were for some reason, trying the damndest to make him believe it.

He crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't know what you're trying to accomplish by lying and saying I hit my head after drinking too much and collapsing."

"Have you seen how much you drink?" Nathan asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I know, and despite all that, I've never been drunk. Hell, I'd get alcohol poisoning before I'd get drunk. My body is completely immune to alcohol. So, what is it that you're not telling me?" Chris growled, getting irritated.

"Larabee, your admiral informed me of your condition," Travis finally spoke up, gaining everyone's attention.

Chris sat straighter, his glare now fixed on the older man.

"Hyperthymesia, correct?"

"Hyperthymesia? Isn't that the name for when someone can't forget something?" asked JD, looking at both men.

"That's why he kept saying he remembers everything," Nathan said in wonder.

"But he can't now," Ezra said bluntly which earned a severe glare from the blond.

"I don't know what the hell is going on, but if something is affecting my memory then I need to find out what it is and get it back," Chris growled.

"Why the hell would you want to force yourself to have all those things floating in your brain again?" Nathan asked, thinking Chris crazy for even suggesting the idea.

"Do you think just because I can't retain anything new and remember it that I don't recall everything else prior to that. It's like putting up a dam; no matter what, it's still all there. Hell, I ain't half as useful without it," Chris grumbled.

"You don't need to have an incredible memory to lead us," JD smiled encouragingly.

Chris frowned at Dunne in confusion.

"The hell are you talking about? What's been going on while I was out?"

"Chris," Vin stepped forward a little, " We want you to stay and be our leader."

"What?"

"I know you have your comrades in the navy who would also welcome your impeccable leadership skills," Ezra added, "However, I'm sure there are many Larabee captains who are in the navy who could take your place. In the ATF, there is only one true leader for team seven."

The rest of the men nodded in agreement.


End file.
